


What Happens When You Forget

by cactipresident



Series: The Last moments of a Ghost boy [2]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: AU Dead danny, Amnesia, F/M, Gen, Ghost with a corpse, Multi, Sorry Not Sorry, strong raging emotions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-07 18:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1123210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cactipresident/pseuds/cactipresident
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His name was Danny Fenton.</p><p>He used to a hero to earth. Whether they wanted him or not they needed him.A living boy with ghostly power. He was a young naive thing who always tried to be the good guy, despite what cost it might have on himself. He even reconciled with his once enemy. Everything the boy could have ever wanted was happening and it was perfect. Until the prefect world he wanted was ripped from him by a cruel twist in fate. Danny had found out the hard way that accepting was sometimes harder than admitting. Though it wasn't like he remembered any of this.</p><p> </p><p>(Sequel To Accepting Was Harder Then Admiting)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  I was swayed by a few comments ( both on this sight and FFN) and myself to write a sequel , actually it's own thing now instead of another chapter. So this is a sequel to accepting was harder than admitting and set about 5 years after the last chapter.  
>  The entire 5 years Danny had been living with clockwork and Vlad, Jasmine,Sam,and Tucker still don't know he exists

His name was Danny Fenton.

He used to a hero to earth. Whether they wanted him or not they needed him.A living boy with ghostly power. He was a young naive thing who always tried to be the good guy, despite what costs it might have on himself. He even reconciled with his once enemy. Everything the boy could have ever wanted was happening and it was perfect. Until the prefect world he wanted was ripped from him by a cruel twist in fate. Danny had found out the hard way that accepting was sometimes harder than admitting. Though it wasn't like he remembered any of this.

His name is now Phantom.

Or that was what his mentor, Clockwork, has told him his name was.

Phantom had been formed five years ago at this strange gathering held in the Ghost Zone. All he can remember was being upset for making people worry and cry. He wanted to hug every single last one of them, apologizing over and over hoping they would forgive him. He had no idea why though being they weren't there for him and he didn't know a single one of them. But even still his first emotion he felt was guilt and misery. Doesn't make for a good first experience with anything.

The only being Phantom had ,and trusted, was Clockwork. He was there from the beginning, trying to help the young boy along in the afterlife. He had become a guardian to the small ghost who had no idea what to make of these conflicting emotions he always had and the strange new world he found himself placed in the middle of.

This is the story of a young ghost boy with his own special abilities.


	2. Time Keeping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phantom tries not to always believe the observants, but it's hard when they are one of two beings you talk to.

Phantom has always been forbidden from entering the Ghost Zone for as long as he had lived in Clockwork's tower, and in all honesty he wasn't too inclined to go anyway.There was no Clockwork out there. Plus all he could remember from out there was pain and an aching feeling in his chest. He wasn't going to rush back to that feeling any time soon.

The observents, just to be sure, kept telling him of all the horrors that lay beyond the tower he had grown accustomed to living in. They would explain there was a girl with fire hair who would blast him away with a single strum of her guitar and about a crazed Ghost who would kill to get his hands on a box. There favorite stories were the ones about Ghosts who would kidnap him and keep him because he was special, using him for their own special needs.

"But aren't you keeping me because I'm special?" Phantom one day asked, his teenage stubbornness sticking with him. He never understood how they could go about spouting stories like that when they were doing the exact same thing. He had actually looked out on one of the balconies and all he saw was beautiful swirling green colors. He never saw a single other Ghost and he was begining to think the one eyed Ghosts made all the other ones up.

The observents seemed to glare at Phantom somehow with only one eye. They ignored his question and left to go back to their council leaving Phantom even more confused than before. For a few hours after that the young ghost wandered around the big tower thinking about what if the observents really were only keeping him there for personal gain before he found Clockwork and asked the same question he had asked the two future seeing beings.

Clockwork, instead of disappearing, had sat Phantom down and explained why they were indeed keeping him because he was special.

"Phantom, I believe the idiots have told you about all the evil that is past my tower doors. They are both right and wrong. I have seen you being kidnapped and stripped of everything that you are and I have seen you find happiness and everything you could ever want and everything in between the two. I cannot guarantee what you will find out of those doors but you must know. The timelines where you are stolen and terrible things happen are more common than the others. You are very special Phantom. No other Ghost has their own body to use. But the observents will try to use for personal gain soon enough. Do not let them, my Phantom." Clockwork added with stress even though his voice remained as clam as ever, his body changing to that of a child.

Phantom only nodded. What else could he say? Clockwork and the observents were all he knew and if he couldn't trust the observents that only left Clockwork. Just like always.  
The elder ghost sighed internally, knowing he was too young and too newly formed to truly understand. " Phantom, would you like to learn?" They both knew what he meant. Phantom had been begging for a month for Clockwork to let him help. He was tired of doing nothing all day in the tower. Clockwork had learned fairly early on that he had no obsession to fill his days, just another thing that made his Phantom special.

That was the first day he began teaching Phantom about how to use his viewing mirrors and the proper way to fix time like he did.

That was three years ago.

" Clockwork, they're coming!"

The now elderly man seemed to ignore the voice calling, though they both knew he heard him and acknowledged him. "6 minutes ahead this time." He mumbled to himself, proud of his apprentice for getting better with his timing.

Exactly 6 minutes later, two observents appeared each looking more cross than the last. A hard feat to do when you were only an eye.

"Clockwork!" One of them boomed to the ghost of time. Clockwork just looked up at them, waiting for them to finish. This could either take a few minutes or an hour depending on how he played his cards. It always went faster the quieter he was. That didn't always worked being how moronic they could be. It was so hard to hold your tongue when you know they're wrong. "Where is the boy, Phantom?" They demanded. Clockwork had been trying to hide him from them for the past week, it came to the time where they wanted to use him in the human world.

The time Ghost and the young Ghost both knew this so they'd begun a sort of game of fooling the observents. Phantom learned other Ghosts couldn't sense him and used that to his advantage. Sometimes he would hid right in front of them and they were none the wiser. Right now he was 5 floors above, looking longingly out of the balcony window.

"He's in the tower, Clockwork!" The second put in, knowing full well their stories of evil had stuck with the boy after all these years, "Let us know where he is!"

Clockwork rolled his eyes at his 'superiors'. They always came in demanding whatever they wanted like they owned his lair. It was disrespectful and he had half a mind to crush them. But he was under their 'employment'.

"I don't think you are in a position to demand things in my home. You cannot make Phantom do what you wish. And it seems he wishes to hide from you." He didn't even bother hiding his smirk at their lack of abilities in his lair. One of the perks of making your own versus finding one like most Ghosts did. He continued to look at the Observents as they in turn looked like they were going to try to force him to do something. Again

His smirk flattered though as he sensed who was on their way to his home. " They're early" He mummered, his gaze now fixed on the speeding vehicle headed his way. He had to get the limited seers out of here now.

"Come back tomorrow." Clockwork calmly said though internally he was processing a thousand things. He turned his back on the floating council members, opting instead to look in one of his viewing mirrors and changing into the form of a child. "If you cannot find him then you don't deserve him at that time."

Both observents puffed up their chests, but left knowing a dismissal when they heard one even though the time ghost was below them. Soon after they left, Phantom come floating in using his human corpse form. Though it has been five years, the body showed no sign of decay; the ectoplasam most likely keeping it in a locked state. He still had a white bandage wrapped around his middle hiding the gaping hole that Clockwork knew his parents caused while Phantom just thought it was part of his 'look'. He also wore a clock instead of his once normal teenage clothes. His baggy clothes were replaced with formfitting black ones Clockwork managed to procure for the boy.

" Gods, I hate when they show up." Phantom complained, voicing his mentors thoughts. Clockwork almost voiced the same opinion, but now was not the time, Clockwork had to hide Phantom as well for his new guest.

Phantom had no idea who was coming, thank the gods, because they only practiced on timing when the observents came to visit and they did seem to do that a lot more then strictly neccesary.

"Phantom, I need you to hide again. Someone is coming and they can't see you." Clockwork heavily stresed the fact hat they couldn't see him and Phantom drew his own ideas.Clockwork nearly flinched at having to plague on his students fears to keep him hidden.

The pale boy's eye grew wide in fear and he looked like he was going to flea at the very second. The elder ghost could sometimes kill the observents for messing with his charge's impressionable mind at such a young form age. Had they not he wouldn't have this irrational fear of everything that came from outside the walls,afraid that that every little thing would try to take him from Clockwork

"Oh a guest, that's cool. I need to uhm, clean the floors on the tenth level anyway. Forgot to do that last week." With that, he zoomed past Clockwork through the walls still using his human from that could pass through the things to get as far as possible.

As soon as he left, The now adult form ghost heard a knock on the door . With a slight sigh he made his way to the door, opening them and looking down at his charge's other half.

" Hello Vlad Plasmius."


	3. The Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad turns Clockwork in a last ditch effort to bring back Danny but doesn't get the answer he hoped for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I reread the first chapter and cringed. This is why you shouldn't write at 3 in the morning and when you’re about to pass out any second.

"Hello Vlad Plasmius."

The Halfa choose his human side for this meeting. All the possible scenarios for this visit narrowed down and played out in clockwork's head within a second, narrowing down all the possibilities. A majority of them didn't turn out well

The past five years haven't been kind to the living Halfa.  Bags hung under his eyes, a testament to how many sleepless nights he'd had. His usually impeccably clean suit was wrinkled and a mess as if he had been wearing it for the past few days. He looked thinner and weaker then he used. He looked up at the Time Ghost, his eyes conveying everything.

Clockwork moved from the doorway, letting the once billionaire into his tower. Vlad nearly stumbled in but regained some of his composure as he straightens himself and walked in the room. The entire room was filled with clocks, each ticking at a different time. It amazed Vlad that anyone could live with that without shooting something or someone. Between some clocks were mirror like objects. Instead of a reverse image of the room the mirror played out different timelines and different times. In a few scenes with a younger, more alive Phantom played out on them making Vlad's heart clench in pain. He almost left then and there but he needed to ask him. He needed to know, this was his last chance at fixing everything.

'rt

"Clockwork, I need your help."

"It cannot be done." He simply stated, knowing immediately   what he was asking for. The Halfa's face fell like he knew this was going to happen. Clockwork had been his last ditch effort. He had exhausted all other resources in his goal to bring back all that he'd lost. He had hoped Clockwork would have helped him like he helped Daniel but he supposed with the ghost essentially being the younger Halfa's guardian he had a soft spot for him. But then why wouldn't he help him then knowing his goal?

If only Vlad knew.

"Come with me" Clockwork floated through a doorway, not bothering to check if Vlad actually did as he commanded. "Danny told you about me." Though it was a statement, Masters nodded from behind him. "Young Fenton also had a problem with changing the past. He told you about the time he went back in time and changed the course of history making it so you married Maddie though that wasn’t his intention." This time he looked over his shoulder at the offending ghost, causing Vlad to wince as he recounted how horrible he used to be to the younger of his species.

 As Vlad painfully reminisced, they finally got to the room in the tower Clockwork used the most and was most fond of, His time room.

This room looked like the inside of a giant clock. The gears moved all around them as Clockwork continued to lead him to the only thing in the room. It was a giant viewing mirror, about twice the size of Clockwork's now childlike head. "He caused himself to stop existing, made you marry Madeline , and Jack Fenton become a Halfa like you. Who knows what will happen when you go back and stop the tragedy that happened." He turned around and faced Vlad who stood there, staring at the crystal ball like object.

The time ghost nearly sighed, if only he could help the grief stricken man but Phantom's death was a fixed point, it had happened in every timeline he existed in. Always when he was 16 whether it was by Vlad himself, his parents, or GIW. It always happened. Clockwork spent a day looking though different timelines where he lived past his 17th birthday but never found none. It broke his core when he found out a year before Phantom's death and broke it all over again as he watched the event which lead to his death unfold.

"Why can't you help?" Vlad's weak voice broke through the now adult looking ghost's thoughts, "I thought you actually cared for Daniel"

 Clockwork fixed a cold glare on Vlad, his red eyes narrowed and showing the first real emotion he had all day. "Don't you dare ever suggest I don't care for Phantom" Vlad nearly rebutted but his head fell and he started to shake.  Clockwork would have kicked himself. He referred to Danny as Phantom and in present tense. If Vlad wasn’t so distraught he would have picked up on the small verbal clues.

"I just wanted him back"

“We all do, Plasmius.” Clockwork said, a hint of guilt coloring his voice. He nearly brought Phantom to the living Halfa but he knew it would only crush him more seeing his once friend and companion not remember a single thing about him or anyone else. It hurt him enough for the both of them.

Vlad briefly looked up at the time ghost before turning to leave, his shoulders sagging from the weight of the last 5 years. This had been his last option, his last hope he pinned everything on.

“ Plasmius. I can show you him if you want. Show you how much happier he was when you made the silent truce.”

Vlad froze and turned around to stare at Clockwork, wondering if he heard him right. “You’d…You’d let me?” Disbelief coloring his voice.

Clockwork wasn’t sure himself, a mental battle waging in his head going over all the possible scenarios that could happen if he let this go on. Eventually he decided the good outweighed the bad and he nodded to the nearly broken man.

Clockwork waved his staff over the mirror, Danny’s life now playing out on it. Vlad stood there staring at the scenes playing out, his eyes shining with unshed tears. He decided to leave the Halfa alone and walked out, silently closing the doors behind him. In an hour or two he would be done and ready to go home.

 -----------------------------------  
Vlad was taking longer than he should have, all of the members in the specter speeder decided. Jasmine was the first to mention it the first half hour he was gone. Sam and tucker told her she was paranoid. They figured the ghost zone was making her nervous being the last time she was in it was 5 years ago. Tucker and Sam had been in it for a majority of the five years, looking for Danny hoping against hope he was a ghost even if they were obsessed about one thing and followed said one thing like it was their life line. They just wanted their friend back in any way they could.

Vlad found them a week ago floating somewhere beyond Pariah’s castle, asking what they knew about Clockwork. They told him about the other Danny, Dan and tried to tell him that meddling with time was dangerous and he was off helping them. Besides looking for Danny, they acted as a sort of ambassadors for the ghost zone, trying to teach people that it wasn’t scary and was actually just a place for the Ghosts to reside. They also helped relations with ghosts and humans, like helping laws get passed to protect ghosts from being dissected and such. The laws haven't been met with much joy from the ghost hunters. 

Sam and Tucker now lived in the Fenton's old house. The sign still hanging outside, glowing for the entire town to see. Within the last few years, Maddie and Jack had moved to another state ,the house being too painful for them to live in so Tucker and Sam bought it for accessibility to the portal. They both found it easier to have their own verwsus always using Vlad's. Even though it hurt living where there best friend used to, they were barely home to even take the pain in, opting most nights to sleep in the fenton spector speeder.   
After the second hour, Sam realized Jazz was right. He was gone far too long to just be asking Clockwork if he could bring Danny back. She honestly didn’t know why he wouldn’t let them come with him. They knew Clockwork better than he did and he might be a little nicer if it was them.

It took another silent half hour for the three now adults to land the Specter speeder on the ground outside the tower by one of the gears that littered the ground before climbing out to try to find out what happened.

“Come on Tuck.” Sam shouted from outside the Speeder. Tucker had somehow lost his iphone in it during the four hours they were stuck in it. She heard rummaging around in it till the similar face poked itself out. Tucker no longer wore the beret he used to, instead opting just to go hatless . He still wore glasses which he used to glare at the dark haired girl outside. His glasses themselves were a computer that he designed himself and Google was trying desperately to replicate. 

“Look Sammy,” He added mockingly, knowing full well it would piss her off, " I have no idea where it could have gone. Even with all the modifications on this rust bucket, the speeder just isn’t that big of a place to lose shit.”

Sam’s once short hair was now longer and in a low pony tail. She no longer considered herself a Goth but still wore some black, few colors actually in her wardrobe. Old habits die hard. She was no longer an ultra vegan recycling freak, but she was a vegetarian and thoroughly disgusted when she watched her friend eat a pig like a pig. Her purple eyes glared at the dark skinned man he re-disappeared into the vehicle.

“Maybe you should actually keep track of your things then” She retorted back, clearly pissed like Tucker wanted. Just because they were together doesn’t mean he gets to be a complete dick about it. She heard a grunt from the speeder again, but ignored it turning to the older woman who stood a few feet from her and up at the tower.

“Hey, jazz. You okay?” Sam questioned as Tucker poked his head out again now looking toward the adult as well. He looked back at Sam who shrugged. Jasmine eventually heard them, turning around and giving them an uneasy smile.

“What? Oh yea, I’m fine I just thought I saw someone.” She looked behind her at one of the many balconies before looking at her friends. “Must be seeing things” She nervously laughed not at all putting the two at ease like she wanted.

The two exchanged another look after Tucker climbed out of the speeder finally finding his phone. It was in his pocket the entire time.

“You ready to go then?” Sam asked, walking towards the older girl and laying a hand on her shoulder. She looked at sam and gave a more reassuring smile still slightly freaked out by what she thought she saw. "Yea" She answered nodding, trying to convince herself they needed to do this. "lets go."

From the balcony Jazz was referring to sat Phantom who was now hiding after he noticed the female saw him. He was excited, confused and above all else scared. They looked just like he did when he changed. He never saw or heard of a ghost that looked like him since that strange gathering and it excited him. The girl seemed upset though when she saw him like he was something to be afraid of. 

He peered over the railing again and saw now three of them instead of two walking towards the front door of his home. He mentally battled with himself over what to do. They could be dangerous, but they looked like him. If they were dangerous did that make him dangerous?  
Eventually curiosity got the better of him as he turned invisible and into his corpse before floating down the few floors to see what exactly they were and what they wanted with his mentor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that might not go too well. I wonder what the trio’s reaction will be if they see Phantom? And what’s taking Vlad so long?


	4. Trio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new trio splits up trying to find the un answering Vlad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so admittedly an over a year hiatus is a bit much....
> 
> I honestly have no excuse. Take this chapter as an apology

“Vlad?” Jasmine called into the dark empty foyer hoping the once billionaire would answer. “Clockwork?” She called after thinking for a second that maybe the Time Ghost would be more apt to answer being this was his lair. Both ghosts remained where there were, completely out of sight.

Jasmine heard a sigh of annoyance behind her and glared at Tucker. He put up his hands in defense. She hadn’t even been looking at him! How would she know it was him. Meanwhile Sam tried to hide her snicker behind her hand.

“ We have to find him. He could be in trouble…” Jazz said in reference to the only Halfa as she looked at her younger friends. They both nodded knowing what she meant. It was splitting up time. All three of them went off in different directions, all in contact with some walkie talkies Sam and Tucker had stored in the Specter Speeder.

Jazz slowly walked through the largest door in the room, avoiding touching the many clocks that lined the hall.The ever present ticking gave the long hall she entered an almost ominous feel. It felt to her like the entire lair was telling her to leave.

“We need him…” She reminded herself as she steeled herself and walked down the hallway to search for their unlikely friend.

* * *

_Vlad… The name sounded so familiar… Why was it so familiar?_

__

Phantom shook his head, staying silent as the apparent leader of the trio called out his Mentor's name.  He needed to find out why they were here. Clockwork clearly wasn’t greeting them like he was supposed, it fell to him as his apprentice to make sure they weren’t up to no good. With little thought he split into three separate invisible entities and followed each creature in kind.

* * *

“VLAD!” Sam yelled through her cupped hands, listening as her voice echoed past clocks and doors alike. With a groan the adult trudged forward  looking for the millionaire.

“Come on Vlad! We don’t have all day!” She called out, hoping wherever the guy was he would hear her. If not, ah well ,no skin off her back.

Closing her eyes, she couldn’t help but smile as the constant ticking of the clocks around her washed over her. This was what home felt like, she decided. She always felt more comfortable in Clockwork’s home than any other place in the ghost zone. Even Ember, who she became fast friends with once they began bridging the gap between worlds, couldn’t make her feel as safe as she did when she came here. She figured it had to do with how friendly Clockwork has been since Danny met him to their little trio. Team Phantom they called themselves, she remembered belatedly.

She supposed these memories should make her feel sad, but here? It was all just part of time. Here she could imagine everything that happened to them within the last five years was just some version she saw in one of the time viewers floating around. Maybe she was still a teenager hoping that she and her best friend would get the courage to ask each other out.

No. Thinking of all that wouldn’t work. She was on a mission and she needed to find the elder halfa.

“Vlad!” She called out again, picking a door at random to enter.

* * *

_Why in the hell was the ghost zone so freakin cold all the time?!_

Tucker rubbed his hands together, ignoring the breath of air he could see escape from his mouth. _Fuck Vlad_ , he couldn’t help but think  as he wandered aimlessly through several rooms.

“Fuck you Vlad!” He said out loud to a passing clock as if the man was in front of him. Not like he would. The Halfa still scared him despite being on their side now.

“Shhh!” Someone hissed a little too close to the tech geeks ear. He couldn’t be blamed, he decided , at the admittedly girlish scream that admitted through his mouth. After a second of freaking out he realized it was  only Vlad smiling a little too wide for Tucker.

“What the hell man?!”

“I believe when someone whispers shhh, the response is not to scream and flail.” The older man commented, patting the man on the back with a chuckle when he blushed a deep red.

“Most people don’t sneak up on someone while they’re looking for them!” Tucker hissed back which only made the millionaire smile more before sobering up.

“There is someone else here. And no, not Samantha and Jasmine.  I know how they feel.” He added before Tucker could open his mouth. “ It.. It feels like him.”

The techie couldn’t help the feeling of pity wash over him at the look Vlad gave the room they were in. It was he wished Danny to jump up from behind a painting or something and say surprise.

“Vlad… He’s dead…”

Wrong thing to say. His eyes flashed red as he whirled on Tucker. “ So am I, Mr.Foley. Seems like you’ve given up hope on your “friend” if you even were!”

“ Hey man! I was his friend while you were beating the shit out of him! I was his friend when he suddenly decided you were a good guy without telling us what happened! I was his friend till the very end, Plasmius! But that’s just it! He’s ended! You saw to that when you talked him into telling his parents!”

Tucker covered his mouth in shock, surprised that even came out of him. Vlad just seethed at him before storming out of the room.

WIth a sigh at how incredibly stupid he was, Tucker pressed the button on side of his walkie talkie.

“Found Vlad, guys. He’s uh.. bit pissy right now. Sam he’ll probably come talk to you now.”

Static for a second as the other two registered what he said before an annoyed answer from Jazz. “God damnit, Tucker, what did you do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> damnit tuck!
> 
> But at least he found Vlad?


	5. Wishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clockwork finds a couple of unwelcomed guests while Tucker tries to explain to Jazz and Sam he honestly didn't do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooo! Two updates within a month time! I feel proactive!

Clockwork rubbed the bridge of his nose, honestly considering for the fifth time that very night spectercide.

“I said come back tomorrow, did I not?” He questioned quietly, his form rippling to a young adult. Before him were the very same Observents he dismissed earlier that night. Clockwork moved behind them, viewing them critically as they tried to stand as proudly as one who was found snooping in another’s lair could be.

“We need the boy!” The one on the right proclaimed. With a piercing look, they quieted themselves looking almost embarrassed at speaking up.

“Yes, I remember you saying that earlier.” Clockwork mused before walking back in front of them. “ So you assumed that I would too busy to what? Check on my own apprentice? Know when someone was in my home?”

The one on the right nudged the other who jumped in surprise before coming up with something to say. “ Clockwork, you know why we need the boy-”

“Phantom.” He interjected with a smile

“Excuse me?”

“His name is Phantom.”

The left one looked to his companion before coughing and continuing. “ Ah yes… Phantom.  You know why we need him. He’d be incredibly useful with the humans.”

“So you can exert your power over them as well. I will not allow you to use my apprentice as a tool for your own grab for power!”

“Clockwork, do not make war with us! We will have Phantom, with your permission or not!”

The time ghost regarded the two before frowning. “ I don’t think you understand. You are not having him. At all.”

“His friends are creating havoc, Clockwork.” The one on the right shouted. “ They are trying to unite the zones! We have never been on good terms with the Human realm. The walls separating the two are already weak because of them.”

“You want to use him as a weapon?!” Clockwork finally yelled, his form shifting to an old man. He expected them to use him for themselves as a mouthpiece. But to use him against humans… “ That’s why you poisoned his thoughts...  That is why you told him all those lies?!” He had never been more furious at these pitiful creatures! How dare they hurt his apprentice for their own benefit! Oh gods, and he contributed to it, telling him to stay inside. Telling him there were people who would hurt him. How had he not seen what harm he was doing?

“Get out.” Clockwork whispered. When they didn’t move he turned on them full force. _"Now!”_

He didn’t even watch them leave, knowing they wouldn’t risk it a second time. He had to find Phantom.

* * *

**  
**  


“Why do you assume I did something?”

Silence again before the telltale crack of static sounded. “Do I need to answer that?”

“Look he was being unreasonable.”Tucker tried to explain to the walkie talkie. “He…” The techie took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “He said he felt Danny, Jazz.”

It took almost a minute till the static sounded through his walkie talkie again. “What.” It was quiet and full of pain. And it broke Tucker’s heart.

“He said he felt something here and it felt like him. Then he told me I didn’t give a shit about Danny. So I laid in him, alright. The bastard’s got no right telling me I didn’t care for Danny.” He sighed again, lifting his glasses as he rubbed his eyes in exasperation. “ Look he’s heading to one of you. So just beware of a pissy ghost.”

He didn’t want to hear her response so he flicked the tech off, throwing it onto some nearby chair in the room he found himself in. He leaned against the wall between two clocks ticking at different times and slide to the floor. It wasn’t fair. His best friend died with the bastard in the same room and he has the guts to say Tucker didn’t care. Vlad couldn’t even stop Maddie from shooting Danny.

He let his head slam against the wall as he closed his eyes. A small smile graced his face as he thought of Danny. It had been five years but it felt like a lifetime without his cohort in… everything. They were practically inseparable. They knew everything about each other. The only person closer to Danny was Sam but Tucker  and Danny had a different level of closeness. It was almost on par with Sam. Almost. God, he wished he was there that night maybe he could have do-

A loud crash sounded and Tucker shot up faster than he ever thought possible, ecto gun at the ready. Even as ambassador of the Ghost Zone, some ghosts didn’t take kindly to him and Sam being there and nothing short of a small shot from the gun would stop them from chasing them half way across the Zone.

“Show yourself!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He knew looks in the Ghost Zone could be deceiving. An empty room could hold twenty ghosts alone.

Nothing showed itself but he swore he heard something run through one of the walls in front of him. Which… should have been impossible. Ghosts can’t go through walls in the Zone. Only humans could. So, what the hell was he dealing with here.

Slowly, with his gun still trained on the wall he picked up his walkie talkie again. Even slower he made his way through the door. He would have to tell Sam about what just happened. Whatever that was couldn’t be good for the Zone or the real world.

* * *

**  
**  


Danny.

He felt Danny.

Danny might be alive.

Jazz had never run so fast in her life. She ran back through the hall she chose, bursting into the main foyer again. She needed to find Vlad. _He might be alive._

She ran through the hall she remembered Tucker taking. _He might be alive._  She threw open every door she came across looking for the Halfa. She needed him. She’d believe him. God, he might be alive!

“Vlad!” She yelled down the hall, ignoring Tucker who she passed. She didn’t need his negativity on Danny right now. He can have his comfort in the confirmed. Jazz will take the last glimmer of hope Vlad offered her.

“Vlad!” She practically screamed when he didn’t show up. She’s in the right place she knew it. He was just here, god damnit!

“Jasmine! Hush child!”

She had nearly ran into him but he had stopped her before she could really hit him. She almost gave him a hug she was so happy she found him. “Vlad.  Tucker said! He said that you...that you…” She panted out trying to get him to understand she believed him! How could she not?

“Jasmine, slow down! What did Tucker say?” He questioned, despite having a pretty good idea of what the child told her.

“He said you felt Danny!” She finally got out, watching him for confirmation of her deepest hope .

He paused, the elder seeming to think over his next words. That's not what she needed! She needed him to tell her the truth not watch his words!

“ I think I felt something like him. It felt wrong through, Jasmine. Almost like it was backwards. I know it makes no sense, My dear. But that’s all I can say. It disappeared as soon as I felt it.” He looked up and around the hall, trying to avoid her gaze for a second before sighing. “ Something is hiding it’s core. Most likely Clockwork. We are in his lair.”

“Vlad, Please tell me he’s alive.”

“I don’t know Jasmine. I can only hope he is.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor jazz and Vlad. They just want him to be alive more then anything.
> 
> But people have different reactions to people's death. Seems Tuck took the "I wish I saved him but he's totes dead and nothing I can do about that" approach. Sam's take on Vlad's news next!


	6. Seeing is Believing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clockwork desperately tries to find his wayward apprentice, as Sam struggles with the thought of Danny still alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have no idea how happy I am to write for this story again

Shit, Shit, Shit!

Phantom held his pounding his chest, feeling his core beat against his hand. He tried to calm down but the imagine of the gun pointed at him made his breathing go faster, made his core feel like it was in his throat.

It tried to kill him, worse yet there was another ghost here. Someone other than Clockwork and the Observants. Someone who hung out with things that brought guns into someone else’s lair!

Phantom put his head in between his knees, trying once again to calm his breathing. He had to warn Clockwork. The thing almost saw him after he accidently walked backwards into a clock. He was in too much shock after hearing the thing tell a small machine that there was an angry ghost walking around.

With another gulp of air, the ghost teen finally stood up, still using the wall as support.  He tried reviewing the memories of his duplicates that he retracted the second he started panicking. Seemed both females were yelling for Vlad and searching random rooms. That was until the dark creature told them about the ghost. One of them grew eerily quiet and the other just got more angrier then it was before, practically screaming now but the name Danny and his Mentor’s joined the shouts of Vlad. It was only a matter of time before they found this Vlad, who seemed to be the ghost in the situation.  Unless…

Unless there were four things and one ghost. That would be just his luck.

The teen breathed out, releasing an unneeded breath of air. He watched with abject terror as the air came out a light blue, condensing before disappearing. In a split second phantom was invisible and in his corpse, fully prepared to run through walls.

“Phantom!” Came the whispered yell, the familiar voice washing over the ghost and instantly calming him. With a flash Phantom came into view changing back into his ghost form, feeling more comfortable as such in his Mentor’s presence.

“Clockwork!” He called back cheerily, actually running up and hugging him. The time ghost seemed surprised for a moment before returning the hug with equal emotion.

“What’s wrong, Phantom?” His mentor questioned, recognizing the bare panic that shook his apprentice’s form. “ What happened?” He demanded with a little more force.

“ They.. it… Clockwork, there's something here that looks like me and it , gods, it pulled a gun on me! They didn’t see me but he heard me, I bumped into a clock after it said it released an angry ghost into the lair! He told the other creatures about it and one of them grew really quiet before running and the other is stomping around ,even more angry, Clockwork I’m terrified!” Once he got started, the ghost couldn’t seem to stop, spilling everything. After his declaration he watched his mentor go quiet, a little unnerved that he wasn’t saying anything.

“Clockwork?”

“Phantom, I think it’s time we talked about the outside world and these… ‘Creatures’ in my home.”

**  
  
**

* * *

He said he felt  him.

That could only mean one thing. Clockwork had been keeping Danny here the entire time. The entire time they begged for his help. The entire time they scoured the Ghost Zone, he had him.

And he stayed.

Sam wasn’t sure what hurt more, Clockworks or Danny’s betrayal. She had thought CW was their ally but it seemed he only cared about keeping Danny away from his friends.

“Daniel Fenton, Get your ass out here!” She screamed to the lair, hoping to shame the boy out. She wasn’t even sure he was called Danny anymore. Skulker clearly wasn’t skulker when he was alive, same for the Box Ghost, the Lunch Lady, Ghost Writer, hell all of the ghosts they came across. He could have some silly ass name to reflect whatever ghost obsession he had.

Five years of looking and he was here _the entire time_.

“Clockwork!” She screamed, thinking of all the ways she’ll beat the shit out the time ghost.

A crackle of static burst from her walkie talkie and she almost threw it against the wall in rage till she heard Tucker’s voice.

“Sam, We got an issue.”

“Bigger than being stabbed in the back?” She growled into the small box.

There was a small second of silence before a confused, “What?”

Sam shook her head, trying to calm down her rage. This wasn’t Tuck’s fault. She couldn’t take this out on him. “ Nothing, Just… what is it?” She answered a bit more calmly before.

“We got something that can walk through walls and be invisible. I think I spooked him, but he walked through Ghost walls, Sam!”

 

The halls echoed with the sound of plastic hitting the stone floor, the walkie talkie dropping from her hand. She vaguely heard a distressed Tucker calling her name after she didn’t answer.

It was true then. Danny was here. Danny was alive in some way.

Danny was hiding from them.

She tried to stop the sob that racked through her body. She tried to stop from falling to her knees, holding her mouth in shock.

Danny hid from them for five years and Clockwork helped him all this time. Danny  just ran from _Tucker_!

Numbly, she reached for the talkie, pressing the side to shut Tucker up. “ Tuck.” She emotionlessly whispered into the mic. Her boyfriend shut up for a second, the static prevailing their conversation for a few seconds.

“ It’s him. Vlad was right. It’s him. Think about it. Who else could turn invisible and.. and walk through the walls like us. It’s him.”

Silence.

“Danni could walk through walls too, she’s a halfa…”

“Tucker, god damnit! Why are you so committed to him being dead!? He’s alive and he’s here!”

Sam took a deep breath, seething at the fact that he just couldn’t see the truth in front of him.

“why wouldn’t he tell us, Sam?”  She paused, realizing she never heard him sound so small. “Sam, I refuse to believe Danny would just, abandon us  like that. It can’t be him, Sam. It can’t.”

  
She sighed, closing her eyes as she heard the pain in his voice.  God how she wished it wasn’t him either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, I wonder how Phantom's going to take Clockwork's news?


	7. Death of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad focuses in on Danny's ecto signature that suddenly and forcibly appeared. He's giving little thought to what he might find, completely ignoring that it might not be the danny he wanted in the end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this took forever to write.  
> sorry i took so long, schools been getting in the way, though i did make a webcomic if ya'll wanna check that out.
> 
> temporaryimmortality.com

  
  


 

Vlad glared at the two standing across the large hall from him. Well, he mostly glared at Tucker but Samantha stood by his side so she received a fair amount as well. Tucker, for his part , looked ashamed, his eyes darting around but refusing to meet with Vlad’s. And he had every reason to be ashamed.

 

Tucker was Daniel’s best friend, he should have been the one to hold out not Vlad. Him.

 

The Halfa looked away from the dejected boy, refusing to concede on his stance but knowing they’d have to move on eventually. Daniel was here. He’d make sure they wouldn’t fight anymore, like he always did.

 

He felt Jasmine’s hand on his forearm, gripping tight. He knew she wanted him to say something but none of them could break the spell of silence over them. They could all sense that something important was behind the door to Clockwork’s viewing hall, the silence that fell over them a testament to the fear coursing through them.

 

It was now or never.

 

Cautiously, his weathered hand reached out to catch the knob, the metal feeling unnaturally cold. The bite of it almost reminded him of his few visits to the Far Frozen he took on the anniversary each year of that fateful day.

 

With a look back at Jasmine, just to make sure she wanted this as much as he did, he yanked open the door. A blast of cold air crashed over them, actually making a few step back in utter shock at the change in temperature. Their silence seemed to wash away with their warmth, even Samantha piping up about how chilly it had suddenly gotten.

 

“That’s not possible.” The millionaire muttered to himself, trying to figure out what could have caused such a drop in a short period of time. When he was in the Viewing Hall it was average for the Ghost Zone, not this below freezing chill. He mulled it over for a bit, almost not wanting the children to walk forward until he was sure it wasn’t harmful. Consciously he knew they had travelled without him to much more dangerous places but instinctively he wanted to still protect them. Someone had to watch over them without Daniel there.

 

“Plasmius.” A voice called, drawing the aged man out of his musing. He instantly recognized it as Clockwork, the time ghost’s voice echoing from deeper in the Hall. Vlad looked back at the small group, all of them nodding to go forward.  They had to know.

 

The elder took the first step forward, braving the cold chill to get to the distant voice. He could feel Daniel, feel his core thumping like a heart. The boy was scared, maybe even nervous with how fast the beating ran. Why was he scared? Did he do something bad? Did he think his family didn’t want anything to do with him?

 

He took another step forward, this one slightly less shaky than the last. He needed to know. He heard the children behind him follow his steps, Jasmine still clutching his arm like a lifeline.

 

Another step. Was Daniel afraid of them? Did he think they would shoot him like his parents did? Is that why he hid all those years ago? Is that why he refused to find them?

 

Another. Could he handle that? Could he be able to look the teen in the eye and see nothing but fear?

 

Another. The beating of the core grew faster, though this time he couldn’t tell if it was his own or Daniel’s.

 

Another. He could almost see around the corner of a clock, most likely where Clockwork stood with his other half. 

 

… He didn’t take another step forward. His body seized, refusing to listen to commands. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t see him. He couldn’t look Daniel in the eye and know that it was his fault he was dead. He couldn’t.

 

He felt a tug on his arm, the arm he knew Jasmine clung to desperately. He turned his head slightly to look at her, trying to communicate without words the fear he felt. Her hand only gripped him tighter, her face morphing into what could have been a small smile if not for the fear that reflected back at him from her own eyes. They were both scared. They both didn’t want to turn the corner, their nightmare and hope both jumbled up into one single step forward.

 

He smiled back, the same distorted look most likely gracing his face. They needed to know.

 

They took another step.

 

Sam gasped, Tucker muttered a curse with a smile but Jasmine let him go. It was him. It was truly him.

 

His outfit was so very different from what they remembered. He had forgone the tight ecto suit with his symbol smack dab in the middle for a grey cloak wrapped around his small body, held together by a light green gem. He looked like he was wearing a white tank top underneath it, stained green bandages covering his midsection. His eyes were wide with wonder and fear as he stared at the group before him. He quickly looked back at Clockwork for reassurances, before taking a step towards the group, arm out to greet them. Vlad’s eyes travelled to the dark rings that circled the boy’s arm once.

 

“My name is Phantom.” He quietly and nervously told them, eyes flitting from each one. “ I am Clockwork’s apprentice.” When they didn’t take his hand only stare at him he looked back at Clockwork again. Vlad could feel his core beat a little harder but he just couldn't stop staring. They finally found him.

 

He couldn’t stop himself. He couldn’t help himself when he grabbed the boy and pulled him into a tight hug, head buried in his shoulder. He couldn’t stop the tears the threatened to overflow his eyes. “ Daniel.” He whispered, choking on sobs that wanted to break free. “ We finally found you…”

 

It took him a few seconds to realize something was wrong. His body was stiff, his arms held firmly at his side. He wasn’t hugging him back. Vlad pulled away, arms resting on the teen’s shoulders. God, he looked the same age as he did that day. The elder halfa smiled at the younger, now unable to stop a tear falling down his cheek.

 

He didn’t cry. Daniel didn’t even smile. He looked scared, and incredibly confused. He moved backwards, pulling himself out of Vlad’s grasp much to the elder’s confusion.

 

“W-whose Daniel?”

 

____________________________________________________

 

Her heart shattered again. She thought she would never feel such heart ache again, especially after they found her brother. She thought they could be a family again.

 

He didn’t remember them.

He didn’t even know who any of them were.

 

He wasn’t her brother.

 

He was Phantom.

 

She watched as the ghost looked back from all of them to Clockwork who only smiled sadly. He would have to explain to all of them. He would have to sadly tell them all how Phantom was only an echo of her brother who knew absolutely nothing of anyone.

 

Was he even the same person? Could he still be the hero and loving boy he was without a family and support system they were for him? Could he still be the brother she spent five years searching for?

 

Vlad hadn’t moved since Phantom pulled away from him. She knew he was in shock. How could he not be?

 

“Phantom,” The calm voice of Clockwork called, oh how she wanted to punch the time ghost. He knew he was here the entire time. Every time they asked him for help and he denied them, he had her brother safely locked away. Every single time. “ Do you want me to introduce them?”

 

How could he be so calm about this? He broke them once again and he didn’t even care.

 

She watched as the echo nodded, his eyes nervously looking over them all.

 

“ The man who hugged you is Vladimir Masters, Phantom. He is the halfa we talked about. The part ghost.” Phantom looked at Vlad, a smile growing on his face. Vlad finally moved taking a step back when the echo walked forward to greet him again. The millionaire’s head shook in disbelief.

 

“No, no. This can’t be Clockwork. You said he couldn’t be saved! You said Daniel was no more!”

 

The time ghost looked sadly at Vlad again before talking. “ He can’t be saved, Vlad. This child is not Daniel. He is Phantom. He is not the boy you knew.”

 

For his part, Phantom looked equally confused, his eyes not knowing who to focus on as he tried to process what information he was given.

 

“They knew me… before?” He whispered.

 

Clockwork placed a comforting hand on the echo before sighing. It seemed he wanted to avoid this part of the conversation. “ Yes, child. All of them were there when you formed. Do you want me to continue?” He received another nod

 

“This is Jasmine Fenton. She travels the Ghost Zone. This is Samantha Manson, she is an ambassador to her kind for the Ghost Zone. As well as this young man, Tucker Foley. Yes, Phantom he was the one who shot at you.”

 

All heads turned to Tucker, a deep blush blooming on his face. He in response only rubbed the back of his neck nervously, other hand up in a peace treaty “ Hey , no hard feelings?”

 

She looked at Vlad, he looked like he was going to kill Tucker. First he said Danny wasn’t alive and now he shot at him?  Did he have a death wish? Her eyes moved past Vlad to focus on the echo. He had a sort of nervous smile on, it looked so oddly placed on that familiar face.

 

“No hard feelings, I promise.” He responded. “ Clockwork told me you didn’t mean to shoot at me.”

 

“Yea man, If I knew it was you, trust me the gun never would have been drawn.”

 

“Was… was I a good friend to you all?”

 

She tried so hard to keep the pain off her face. but he didn’t even know who she was. His sister and he didn’t know. He didn’t know any of them. 

 

He noticed the look on her face and seemed to panic for a moment. “ Oh gods, Was I bad? Did I kill and capture other ghosts?! Oh Gods, Clockwork what did I do?!” The time ghost shifted to an old man for a second before shushing the panicking teen.

 

“You were a hero, Phantom. She is just upset.”

 

“But why? Did I say something wrong? You said to do everything you asked of me. You said don’t make them upset, but I have!”

 

“Hush, it is not your fault. You couldn’t change why she is upset no matter how hard you tried, my child.”

 

They were talking as if she wasn’t even here. Like the tears weren’t almost taking over her eyes. Like she didn’t just watch her brother say he had no idea who she was.

 

Five years of holding out hope. Five years of hoping for a family again, and this is what she got. It was like she lost her brother all over again.

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Gods, this was going exactly the opposite of how he wanted things. Phantom watched in shock as the tears formed in the red headed human’s eyes.  He wanted to make friends and have someone to talk to. He was going to meet someone like him! Even if he had to do everything Clockwork asked of him, one of the conditions placed on the meeting, he was elated  for this.

 

Now it was falling apart.

 

He almost rushed over to the girl, wanting to tell her he was sorry, that he didn’t mean it, but he felt Clockwork put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.  He wouldn’t be allowed to comfort this one. He quickly looked back at his mentor before folding his hands in front of himself in resignation.

 

Who was she to him? Before he was formed that is. His mentor told him he knew them once, before that day in the cold surrounded by people and ghosts he didn’t know. He said they were all there, he just didn’t know.

 

Clearly by how upset she was someone important to him. Gods if only he could remember!

 

“I… I’m sorry I’m not who you wanted.”

 

           The girl, Jasmine looked at him in shock before looking away from him. He wasn’t what she wanted no matter what he could do. The other Halfa looked like he was ready to say something but he just kept opening closing his mouth.

 

            “Truly, I wish I was who you thought I was.”

 

             “Shut up”

 

              It was quiet, he almost didn’t catch it if he wasn’t staring at her wishing for her to stop crying. “W-what?”

 

              “Jasmine!” Vlad admonished, tearing his eyes from Phantom to give the girl a shocked look. 

 

              “I said, shut up. I can’t handle hearing his voice from your mouth. I just… I just need you to shut up…” She turned to look at him, her tear stained face looking at him with a kind of anger he never thought he’d ever see directed his way. She hated him. She hated him for existing.

  
  



End file.
